Customer Success & Experience

The customer is always right. But figuring out how to solve for changes and new priorities can be more difficult than it seems. Companies have shifted from tailoring solutions to one customer to evolving and updating solutions for all customers. That brings efficiencies inside a company but can create tension with individual customers who are constantly dealing with upgrades or caught between functionality that doesn’t quite fit their needs.

The customer success team brings the customer’s perspective to all internal conversations. And while everyone wants to deliver customer success, the best way to get there often creates opposing views. For this team, it’s a fine line between representing the customer’s interest and aligning to internal perspectives.  It’s a skilled communicator who can bring the two perspectives together and align internal groups toward a compromise and a way forward.

The success team wants to have critical input to internal discussions about product, innovation and service. To be included, they need to strengthen their internal brand as innovators versus naysayers. And it helps if they have a consistent message about their role between the customer and the internal teams.

Content: Influential communication starts from the communicator establishing right up front that they understand their listener’s perspective. When your role is to bring an added view point or even a conflicting one, it helps to be able to balance perspectives and guide a team to common ground before considering opposing options. Our storyline tools help teams lead with the listener’s perspective in order to pivot beliefs or shift a group to a broader perspective.

Style: Communication for this group is all about being proactive. It starts with framing the right narrative, but ultimately the key driver of success is to establish connection with your internal partners. We help teams develop an engaging presence that sets impressions of openness, confidence and connection that will strengthen their voice and influence.

Situational:  Customer Success teams sit in a unique space between a company and its customers. They’re a direct advocate for your  customers and can be a valued partner to your sales team and your product team. But the internal relationships have to be developed. And it takes branding and consistent messaging to get a seat at the table early enough to have influence over decisions. We partner with customer success teams to develop their storyline and map communication to pivotal points of influence across an organization.

For teams, these three steps are the start of a Tailored Program.

For individuals, a combination of Open Programs helps you build your own toolkit.